When consumers launder fabrics, they desire not only excellence in cleaning, they also seek to impart superior fabric care benefits. Such fabric care effects can be exemplified by one or more of reduction of wrinkles benefits; removal of wrinkles benefits; prevention of wrinkles benefits; fabric softness benefits; fabric feel benefits; garment shape retention benefits; garment shape recovery benefits; elasticity benefits; ease of ironing benefits; perfume benefits; color care benefits; anti-abrasion benefits; anti-pilling benefits; or any combination thereof. Compositions which provide both cleaning benefits and additional fabric care benefits, e.g., fabric softening benefits, are known as “2 in 1”-detergent compositions and/or as “softening through the wash”-compositions.
Due to the incompatibility of anionic detersive surfactants and many cationic fabric care agents, e.g., fabric softening agents, in liquid detergent compositions, the detergent industry has formulated alternative compositions. These compositions provide both fabric cleaning and additional fabric care benefits. The alternative compositions contain anionic detersive surfactants and additional non-cationic fabric care agents which are not rendered inefficient by the incompatability of anionic detersive surfactants and cationic fabric care agents. Examples of non-cationic fabric softening agents are clays and silicones. Polydialkylpolysiloxane- and aminosilicone-based compounds have been identified as beneficial non-cationic fabric care agents in “2 in 1”-detergent compositions. EP 0 150 872 (P&G, published Aug. 7, 1985) describes a liquid detergent composition comprising an anionic, nonionic, amphoteric and/or zwitterionic surface-active agent(s) and an organo-functional poly-di-alkyl siloxane treatment agent having a specific formula.
In contrast to conventional cationic fabric care agents, the deposition characteristics of the above described non-cationic fabric care agents on typically anionically charged fabrics and textiles are such that the amount deposited is very low. In order to overcome this drawback, deposition aids have often been added into “2 in 1”-detergent compositions. Suitable deposition aids are typically cationically charged and/or have a high molecular weight. Examples of well known cationic deposition aids are cationic guar gums, and poly-quaternary ammonium compounds. WO 00/70 005 (Unilever, published Nov. 23, 2000) describes fabric softening compositions comprising a nonionic fabric softening agent, an anionic surfactant and a cationic polymer added for the purpose of improving the deposition of the softening agent onto the fabric. EP 0 658 100 B1 (Unilever, published Jun. 21, 1995) describes liquid detergent compositions comprising a non-soap detergent, a cationic polymer and a silicone. EP 1 080 714 (Johnson&Johnson, published Mar. 7, 2001) describes “2 in 1”-detergent compositions with enhanced depositing, conditioning and softness capabilities, comprising a water-soluble silicone agent, at least one cationic conditioning agent, and at least one detergent.
Unfortunately, it has been found that the incorporation of cationic deposition aids also brings with it several drawbacks. Cationic deposition aids can significantly alter cleaning benefits during the washing process. Indeed, it has been found that fabrics being laundered with a cationic deposition aid-containing liquid detergent composition can exhibit reduced whiteness. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that the reduced whiteness occurs because the deposition aids present in the wash liquor can drag suspended soils onto the clothes. Those soils then reduce the cleaning benefit previously achieved by the detersive ingredients of the composition. It has been further found that cationic deposition aids can entrain dyes and contribute to the redeposition of dissolved dyes onto fabrics. This effect is particularly problematic when colored fabrics are laundered together with white fabrics in the same wash cycle.
Cationic deposition aids frequently form coacervating phases either in the fully formulated detergent composition and/or in the wash liquor wherein the detergent composition has been diluted with a diluent, typically with water. Thus, all what was said hereinbefore for cationic deposition aids also applies for coacervate phase-forming polymers.
In light of the forgoing, there is a continuing need to solve the hereinbefore mentioned technical problems and to provide compositions which exhibit superior fabric cleaning and superior fabric care in home laundering operations without the drawbacks identified above. One approach would, of course, include the elimination of cationic deposition aids for avoid the problem they can cause. However, as mentioned above, one still need to ensure satisfactory deposition of the non-cationic fabric softening silicone compounds. There is therefore a need for liquid laundry detergent compositions providing improved cleaning and additional fabric care benefits in a regular wash cycle in the absence of cationic deposition aids. In particular, there remain important unsolved problems with respect to selecting compatible fabric care and fabric cleaning ingredients so that the combination of both provides uncompromising levels of fabric cleaning and fabric care. Furthermore, it remains particularly difficult to combine anionic surfactants and non-cationic fabric care beneficial agents in the absence of cationic deposition aids in such a way as to secure superior fabric care at the same time as outstanding cleaning and product formulation stability and formulation flexibility.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to address the hereinbefore mentioned technical problems by providing compositions which comprise detersive surfactants and non-cationic fabric care agents surfactants with such compositions at the same time being essentially free of cationic deposition aids. Such compositions have been found to provide superior fabric cleaning and superior fabric care.
One embodiment of the present invention is an essentially cationic deposition aid-free liquid laundry detergent composition comprising at least one detersive surfactant, at least one detergent adjunct, and a blend of silicone materials. Of particular importance is the selection of suitable silicone materials. The selected combination of specific type of silicone ingredients has been found to provide superior fabric cleaning and superior fabric care benefits.
Moreover, superior fabric care or garment care benefits in home laundering as discovered in connection with the present invention unexpectedly include benefits when the products herein are used in different modes, such as treatment before washing in an, optionally automatic, washing machine, and through-the wash benefits as well as treatment by hand wash. Additionally discovered are regimen benefits, i.e., benefits of converting from use of a product system comprising conventional detergents to a product system comprising use of the present compositions and compositions formulated specifically for use therewith. In particular, it has been found that the combination of at least one detersive surfactant, at least one detergent adjunct, and a blend of silicone materials in the absence of cationic deposition aids provides synergistic effects for fabric cleaning and fabric care. This is particularly true for fabric softening benefits, for color care benefits, for anti-abrasion benefits, and for anti-pilling benefits or any combination thereof, imparted to fabrics which have been treated with the liquid laundry detergent compositions of the present invention.